OBJECTIVES

To analyze persistence and HCRU with etanercept for up to 5 years in AS and PsA patients in Germany.

METHODS

AS and PsA patients initiating etanercept bio-original (ETNBo) between 01/01/2008 and 31/12/2012, after an etanercept-free look-back period of ≥12 months (index date), were retrospectively identified in German health insurance claims data and followed until 31/12/2015 or end of their records. Treatment persistence was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier analysis. The median annual HCRU and associated costs per patient per year (PPPY) were also evaluated post index.

RESULTS

Of 340 identified AS patients (age at index 44±12, 64% male) and 415 PsA patients (age 49±12, 51% male), the majority were bio-naïve (AS: 72%; PsA: 73%). At least 1 comorbidity was present in 70.9% and 77.8% of patients with AS and PSA at index, respectively. Persistence for AS ranged from 52% at 1 year to 16% at 5 years and, for PsA, from 51% at 1 year to 18% at 5 years. 25% of patients were persistent on etanercept up to approximately 40 months (AS: 40; PsA: 43). Overall, 56% of AS and 63% of PsA patients had ≥1 hospitalization during follow-up, but only 31% and 27% were associated with the condition of interest, corresponding to a mean annual cost of €1,352 and €418 PPPY, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This analysis addresses the lack of persistence data for etanercept in systemic inflammatory conditions other than rheumatoid arthritis. Among new etanercept users in AS and PsA, a quarter were persistent with etanercept for at least 40 months, and this was associated with low disease-specific hospitalizations and costs. Our findings suggest a high comorbidity burden among these patients. Future research should explore clinical factors influencing long-term persistence with etanercept.